Folding umbrella.



J. A. THOMAS.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 12, 1911.

1 ,034,846. Patented Aug.. 6, 1912.

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ATTORNEY CQLUMBIA PLANoauAPM co.. WABHINuTuN. n. C.

J. A. THOMAS.

FOLDING UMBRELLA. APPLroATIoN FILED 11u12, 1911.

1 034,846. Patented Aug. 6, 19172.

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w/ rms-555s ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOOIAPII CO.. WASHINGTON, D. C.

ably braced when opened for use.

UNITED STATES J'OHN'A. THOMAS, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 12, 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

serial No. 626,822.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

' Be it known that I, JOHN A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to provide an umbrella or parasol that may be folded or doubled into compact form when so desired, or may be collapsed or used as an ordinary umbrella, and is strongly and suit- These objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several gures.

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation, extended and constructed in accordance with my invention, parts in section and parts removed. Fig. 2 is a plan of the upper runner or sleeve. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the cam sleeves. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the umbrella collapsed as an ordinary umbrella, parts removed. Fig. 7 is an elevation showing the foldable form, parts removed.

I am aware that others have used and patented folding umbrellas, but it is my purpose to provide an umbrella which is more strongly braced and stayed than the ordinary umbrella, and that may be used as any ordinary umbrella and closed or collapsed as any ordinary umbrella is closed or collapsed, and with but slight movement of some of the parts may then be folded and packed into a grip or hand bag without injury to the covering on the umbrella.

In the drawings the upper portion of the telescoping stalf is marked as 1, and the central portion as 2, and the handle part as 3. Around the upper end of said staff or tube 1 is secured a notched and channeled bearing 4, within which the upper end 5 of each of the sectioned ribs is pivoted. The tube 1 of the staff telescopes within the upper end of the tube 2, which tube 2 carries thereon an upper runner 6, and a lower runner 6', and has fastened in its lower end the handle part 3. The handle part 3 has a catch 9 therein, one end of which catch extends radially into an opening 10 provided within the said tube 2, to lock the two parts together. Near the upper end of Said tube 2 are riveted two oppositely placed radially movable spring catches 11, a portion of each of which extends radially inward through holes 12 in the said tube 2, and into holes 13 within the sides of said tube 1, which holes are adjacent when the umbrella is ex-` tended, as in Fig. 1. The upper end of said tube has an extended flange 14 formed thereon which flange 14 seats in an annular channel 15, cut concentrically in the upper side of an upper runner 6, that is carried on said tube 2. In the peripherie edge of said runner 6 is pivoted, in the usual manner, the inner ends of the upper stretchers 18. Within the said runner is cut two opposed radiaally extended open cuts 19, formed therein to allow said runner to pass over the said spring catches 11. Carried on said runner is the cam sleeve 20, within which sleeve is secured or formed integral therewith two cams 21. The form and purpose being to allow said cams to engage said spring catches 11, and when said sleeve is given a slight axial turn, the periphery thereof being serrated to facilitate that movement, the said cams 21 will withdraw the radially extended portions of said spring catches from the said holes 13 and allow the said tube 1 of said staff to telescope within the upper portion of the tube 2. The ribs 5 are severed into two sections 5 and 23, and are hingedly connected at 22, and the outer ends of said stretchers 18 are pivoted to said ribs at that point. The hinged and pivoted connections of the parts allow the telescoping and folding as shown in Fig. 7. Also slidably carried on the said tube 2 is the lower runner 6 the outward form of which is similar to said runner 6, and on the peripherie edge of this runner 7 is pivotally secured, in the usual manner, the inner ends of the stretchers 24. Said stretchers 24 are pivoted to the outer section 23 of said ribs. Secured within the said runner 6 are two radially disposed spring catches 25 each having a radially inwardly extended portion 26. On sa1d runner 6 is carried another cam sleeve 20, the cams 21 of which push said spring catches 25 radially inward when said cam sleeve is given a slight axial turn. When said catches 25 are so pushed inwardly the portions 26 thereof will enter a hole 27 bored radially through the said tube 1, and lock the said tube 1 and the runner 6 together. Diametrically opposed slots 28 are longitudinally cut through the said tube 2, to

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allow a longitudinal movement of said runner 6 with its connected parts, on said tube, and said slot-s are cut of length sutiicient to telescope the tube 1 within the tube 2 by drawing the runner 6 down on the said tube 2, when the said runner 6 and the said tube 1 are so locked together. lithin the said tube 1 and extending from it-s lower end is secured the spring catch 29 a portion of which extends through the slotted hole 8O in the said tube 2, which slotted hole is cut so that when the umbrella is extended the said catch will engage the lower end of the runner 6, and hold the umbrellaas so extended for use. To hold the said cam sleeves 2O on the said runners 6 and 6, a flange 17 is extended therearound except in two places which are shown as longitudinal slots or cuts 16 in the periphery of said flange 17. The purpose being to allow the cams 21 to pass within said cuts 16 when placing said cam sleeves around said runners.

The manner of using my umbrella is as y follows: First when to be used as a collapsible umbrella and not to fold up, the catches 11 and 25 are left in their normal position as shown in Fig. 1. ln this position the telescoping tubes 1 and 2 are locked together and in their extended form, and the runners 6 and 6 with their connections are free to move longitudinally upward as -far as the flange 14 on the tube 2 will permit, and downward until the umbrella is fully collapsed, and in the two extreme posit-ions are secured as any ordinary umbrella by a catch in the handle part 3 for the collapsed position, and in the tube 1 for the extended position. Second when it is desired to fold the umbrella up, the umbrella is raised and the cam sleeve 2O on the runner 6 is given a slight axial turn, which motion withdraws the spring catches 11 from engagement with the inner tube 1. The cam sleeve 20 on the runner 6 is then likewise given an axial turn, which motion pushes the spring cat-ches 25 into engagementwith the said inner tube 1, and locks the said runner 6 and tube 1 together. A downward pull on the said runner 6', will 'then telescope the tubes 1 and 2; and the top portion or center of the umbrella will be drawn down and the umbrella will fold las shown in Fig. 7. When in this position the said runner l6 is free to slide longitudinally on the said tube 2. When so desired the lower section 3 of the stall is removed by a slight turn and outward pull on the handle 8.

Having thus described my invention l desire to secure by Letters Patentand claim 1. An umbrella comprising a vtelles/coping staff having catch openings therein, a runner carried on said staff, catches carried in said runner adapted at times to engage in the openings in said stall, a cam sleeve carried on said runner, and cams ltherein adapted to engage said catches to move them into and out of engagement within the openings in said staff.

2. ln a folding umbrella the combination of an inner tube having catch holes therein and a notched bearing on one end and a spring catch within the other end, sectioned and hingedly connected ribs pivoted to said bearing, another tube adapted to telescope over a portion of said inner tube and having catch holes therein and longitudinal slots therein, runners carried on the last mentioned tube, stretchers connecting the upper of said runners with said ribs at the joint between the sect-ions thereof, another set of stretchers connecting the lower of said runners with the outer section of said ribs, two diametrically disposed catches secured on the outer of said tubes and having a portion of each of said catches radially extend ed through the upper of said holes in said outer tube and adapted to engage in one of said holes in said inner tube, means carried on said upper runner adapted to withdraw said catches from said engagement, catches carried on said lower runner a portion of each thereof being extended radially inward, means carried on said lower ruimer adapted to move said radially extended portion of said catches into engagement with said inner tube, and a hand piece secured on the bottom of said outer tube.

3. A folding umbrella consisting of an inner tube having a channeled and notched bearing on one end, a hole therein and a spring catch within the other end, sectioned and hingedly connected ribs pivoted to said bearing, another tube adapted to slide over a po-rtion of said inner tube and having two holes therein, runners carried on said outer tube and coacting to extend said ribs and moving independently when folding said ribs, stretchers connecting the upper of said runners with said ribs at the joint between the inner and outer sections of said ribs, another set of stretchers connecting the lower of said runners with the outer sections of said ribs, two diametrically disposed spring catches secured on the last mentioned tube and having a portion of each of said catches radially extended through the upper hole in said last mentioned tube and adapted to engage in said hole in the first mentioned tube, means carried on said upper runner adapted to withdraw said catches from said engagement, spring catches carried by said lower runner a portion thereof being extended radially inward, slots Iin the outer of said tubes in which slot-s the catches carried by said lower runner are operated, means carried on said lower runner adapted to push the radially extended portion of said spring 4catches into engagement with the inner of said tubes, and a spring catch adapted to hold said flower runner down.

4. A folding umbrella consisting of an inner tube having catch holes therein and a notched bearing on one end, ribs pivoted thereto each of which ribs being formed into two sections and hingedly connected, an outer tube having holes therein and longitudinal slots therein, runners carried on the outer of said tubes, stretchers connecting the upper of said runners with the said ribs at the joint between the inner and outer sections thereof, another set of stretchers eonnecting the lower of said runners with the outer sections of said ribs, spring catches carried on said outer tube each having a f portion thereof radially extended through one of said holes in said outer tube and adapted to engage within one of said holes in said lnner tube, means carried on said upper runner to withdraw said radially extended portion of said spring catches from engagement with said inner tube, spring catches carried by said lower runner a p01'- tion of each of said Catches being extended 'adially inward and adapted to engage in one of said slots in said outer tube, and moans carried on said lower runner adapted to push said radially extended portion of said catches into said holes in said inner tube.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

F. L. HonsrooL, W. H. PACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

